A method for manufacturing a thixomolding material for thixomolding includes a drying step of heating a mixture containing a first powder that contains Mg as a main component, a second powder, a binder, and an organic solvent to dry the organic solvent contained in the mixture, and a stirring step of stirring the mixture heated in the drying step.

Vehicle structural components and additive manufacturing methods for forming the components are described. The structural components incorporate hydrogen storage materials for use in conjunction with hydrogen fuel cells in electric-powered vehicles such as unmanned aerial vehicles. The hydrogen storage materials can be in the form of a 3D printed metal foam that includes a metal hydride and an inert structural metal. The material can exhibit a very low weight density able to store hydrogen in a low pressure solid-state form at a high energy density. The structural components that carry the hydrogen storage materials can be exchangeable components of a vehicle, and the vehicle can be refueled by merely exchanging an exhausted component for a replacement component that is fully-charged with hydrogen.

A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

A method of making a negative electrode material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided that includes centrifugally distributing a molten precursor comprising silicon and lithium by contacting the molten precursor with a rotating surface in a centrifugal atomizing reactor. The molten precursor is solidified to form a plurality of substantially round solid electroactive particles comprising an alloy of lithium and silicon and having a D50 diameter of less than or equal to about 20 micrometers. In certain variations, the negative electroactive material particles may further have one or more coatings disposed thereon, such as a carbonaceous coating and/or an oxide-based coating.

A method of making a negative electrode material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided that includes centrifugally distributing a molten precursor comprising silicon and lithium by contacting the molten precursor with a rotating surface in a centrifugal atomizing reactor. The molten precursor is solidified to form a plurality of substantially round solid electroactive particles comprising an alloy of lithium and silicon and having a D50 diameter of less than or equal to about 20 micrometers. In certain variations, the negative electroactive material particles may further have one or more coatings disposed thereon, such as a carbonaceous coating and/or an oxide-based coating.

The invention relates to a stabilized lithium metal powder and to a method for producing the same, the stabilized, pure lithium metal powder having been passivated in an organic inert solvent under dispersal conditions with fatty acids or fatty acid esters according to the general formula (I) R—COOR′, in which R stands for C.sub.10-C.sub.29 groups and R′ for H or C.sub.1-C.sub.8 groups.

The invention relates to particulate lithium metal composite materials, stabilized by alloy-forming elements of the third and fourth primary group of the PSE and method for production thereof by reaction of lithium metal with film-forming element precursors of the general formulas (I) or (II): [AR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4]Li.sub.x (I), or R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3A-O-AR.sup.4R.sup.5R.sup.6 (II), wherein R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4R.sup.5R.sup.6=alkyl (C.sub.1-C.sub.12), aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy-, or halogen (F, Cl, Br, I), independently of each other; or two groups R represent together a 1,2-diolate (1,2-ethandiolate, for example), a 1,2- or 1,3-dicarboxylate (oxalate or malonate, for example) or a 2-hydroxycarboxylate dianion (lactate or salicylate, for example); the groups R.sup.1 to R.sup.6 can comprise additional functional groups, such as alkoxy groups; A=boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead; x=0 or 1 for B, Al, Ga, In, Tl; x=0 for Si, Ge, Sn, Pb; in the case that x=0 and A=B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, R.sup.4 is omitted, or with polymers comprising one or more of the elements B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, at temperatures between 50 and 300° C., preferably above the melting temperature of lithium of 180.5° C., in an organic, inert solvent.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of sodium-based solid compounds, such as sodium-based solid alloys and sodium-based crystalline phases by ball-milling using metallic sodium as starting material. The invention also relates to some sodium-based crystalline P′2-phases and to Na-based vanadium phosphates phases (Na.sub.(3+y)V.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3) with 0<y≤3 and Na-based vanadium fluorophosphates phases (Na.sub.(3+z)V.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.2F.sub.3) with 0<z≤3, in particular Na.sub.4V.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.2F.sub.3, obtained by such a process and to their use, as active material for positive electrode, in a Na-ion battery.

A method for producing a biodegradable magnesium metal composite that includes a polycrystalline magnesium matrix and TiB.sub.2 grains which are homogenously distributed in the polycrystalline magnesium matrix involving spark plasma sintering a milled mixture of magnesium powder and TiB.sub.2 powder. The temperature, pressure, and time of the spark plasma sintering used in the method are used to give high microharness, macrohardness, and density with low porosity by limiting the grain growth in the composite. The method yields a biodegradable magnesium metal composite having an improved microhardness, macrohardness, density, and porosity compared to other composites and methods of making composites.

A method for producing a biodegradable magnesium metal composite that includes a polycrystalline magnesium matrix and TiB.sub.2 grains which are homogenously distributed in the polycrystalline magnesium matrix involving spark plasma sintering a milled mixture of magnesium powder and TiB.sub.2 powder. The temperature, pressure, and time of the spark plasma sintering used in the method are used to give high microharness, macrohardness, and density with low porosity by limiting the grain growth in the composite. The method yields a biodegradable magnesium metal composite having an improved microhardness, macrohardness, density, and porosity compared to other composites and methods of making composites.